Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 851 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 Howe, but he must be deep in his plots. What has happened here? I will twist the truth out of him, or burn him on his own hearth. Here, you, where got you this paper, and whither has Stella gone?” The sport gave no answer, and Giant Jim was, hardly in the frame of mind to be patient. The rope which had bound Stella to the chair was lying near, and was sug- gestive, He caught up a loose end and brought it around the sport’s neck, ready to make the noose, and then, seating himself on the breast of Dell he glanced downward at the face into which mor was beginning to re- turn, ‘‘ Yes,” muttered Giant Jim as he clutched tightly at the rope; ‘‘I am tired fighting fancies, and this brain of mine must have a rest. I'll know the facts now, or, the noose draws tight.” CHAPTER XY. BILLY JINGLE TO THE FRONT. ‘*Say, sport, let up er I’ll hev ter clap ther brand on!” Billy Jingle came rushing into tbe cabin, just as the reviving Hammond, looking up- ward, for the first time caught the glare of . Giant Jim’s eyes searching down for his own, and heard him hissing: ‘*How got you that paper; and where 7s my daughter ?” James never heard the boy. Hewas bend- ing eagerly down to catch the answer he ex- pected to drop from those whitened lips. Hiad he been less wild he might have un- derstood that in the feeble state of the young man he was crushing the life away with his _ weight. And Dell, reviving from the deadly effects of the strangling smoke, fancied the lower- ing face above him was a figment of a night- mare which would float away now he was awakening. He drew his hands up, and struggled like a man in a dream, ‘‘ Answer!” shouted the Saint, and gave the ropea twitch which brought the noose more tightly to place. A little tighter and it would shut off the breath altogether. If the sport could not understand him Billy Jingle did. . “That cuts ther brandin’ act out alter- gether. Synnergogues an’ sunflowers! ther man’s her dad. An’ ef I don’t do s’umthin’ ther sport are gone afore I kin git him ter onderstand.”’ The giant was no more aware of the pres- ence of the boy than he had been when. Billy so successfully attacked him, but the situa- tion was not the same, and had it been, the boy would not have been as ready to fall back on his revolvers if things went wrong. That there wasa misunderstanding he was pretty sure, and what he wanted was to see some way to bring it to.an end without run- ning too desperate chances in attempting it. Once more Hammond was motionless; but the boy was shrewd. Unless he was mis- taken badly Dell was playing ‘possum, and trying to gather strength for another effort. If that was the gase—and it would not take long to find out—Billy intended to have a hand in the next struggle. He slipped be- hind the giant, gathered up the other end of the rope, and made a noose likewise. Then, grinning so widely that it was al- most audible, he tip-toed closer still, and with the loop held over the head of Guyon James he waited the next movement. _. Suddenly, Hammond seemed galvanized into life. He slung his fists out at the body of the man who was seated on him, and they did not fail to reach. He caught the rope with one hand, and then tried to fling himself around face downward, so that he could get some purchase. He was active as a panther, and strong as a bear, to put it according to ny ingle’s thoughts. : boy wasted no time in admiration. te 5 * ' , ‘ 7 7 } i at eg 4, T- ae as =e, : b ‘ * , we! - - o « ” é 7 ’ ° * he a | 4 5 Sind 2 - . ie a ; - et ae . 5. eee - Sie rt _ ; Ve “% ' ° -_-___--——- - = oe 7] ‘The Tie-To Sport Thought and action with him went together. The noose dropped and tightened, and as Dell Hammond threw his hardest, strain into an effort, Billy plunged backward, fairly lift- ing Giant Jim from his seat. With that, Hammond slipped out from his uncomfortable position, wrenching the rope from the hand of James as he went, and was on his feet, weak, staggery, but very much himself. Had it not been for the presence of the boy the days of Giant Jim would have been numbered. ‘* Hold on, sport, hold on!’ Billy shouted, in shrillest earnest. ‘‘[t’s ther gal’s dad, an’ he don’t sabbe, that’s all. We kin fix it all right ez a triv- ett ef he'll jest open his ears ter reason. Ef he don't it'll be time ernuf ter knock him down with er club.” Billy Jingle sprung back out of reach the moment he had seen.the sport slip from under the giant, and now that neither was in imme- diate danger he wanted to have the two come to an understanding. ‘There ,was a chance they would need each the support of the other. If he had not found Charley Briggs when he searched for-him, a few minutes ago, he had heard voices, that made him think Morris Howe was coming again, and his gang coming with him. Guyon James passed his hand wearily over his brow. The sudden check he had received, instead of rendering him wilder, appeared to have had a calming effect. He no longer overlooked the presence of the boy, but stared at him from under his raised hand as though bring- ing back the face to his memory by an effort. When he spoke his voice had lost its late fierceness,.and had returned to its ordinary calmness. ‘Pardon me, friends, if friends you may be. Verily, it seems I have been the victim of a delusion, and under its influence have ‘been acting in a way unseemly for one who has been named the Saint from Side Ace. If there is anything I should hear— as, by the spcech of this lad, whom I re- cognize as the son of one Hiram Strange, who once lived at Side Ace—speak it quick- ly, for my mind misgives me that startling things may be expected to happen.” ‘Startling if indeed you are the father of Stella Stone,” answered Hammond, looking around him for traces of Charley Briggs and the girl, ‘** You can see for yourself what sort of a death-trap Morris Howe had her fastened in, It might not have hurt her, but it almost did for me; and |’m not supposed. to be of the soft-shell kind, either. What became of her and Charley this boy can tell you, per- haps. They seem to have got a move on without much reference to me.” ‘Oh, I reckon they will come out all sirene. But ther last I seen of her she did not look like a corpus, an’ Briggsy war a- kerryin’ ov her to’rrads ther bresh, I don’t think jest ser much ov his grit, but fur brains an’ motion he’s ez good ez ther next,” ‘‘And who is this Briggs? By what right does he take her in his arms?’ ‘‘Oh, he’s a sport from ’wayback, an’ when he knowed ther game he brung us out hyer a--hoopin’, Wouldn’t wonder ef he war sweet on her; but ef so, you bet it’s all on ther squar’, P’rhaps it’s ez good a time ez any ter remark thet Morris are returnin’, an’ his gang come with him. What yer all oin’ ter do about it? Speak quick, er climb ther golden stairs at a two-ten gait.” The boy’s warning reached their ears at about the same instant certain sounds called their attention to the outside. The boy’s suspicion was correct, more- over. The gang from the Flat who trained in his interests had reached the mine, on the trail of the fugitives, and Howe, seeing from a distance the open door, was leading <a 2 . . : : eS A See ee? pm, wr, we “4 , PS es a ee f r * 7% 1 r ' oe tle them. ‘* But, my daughter—where is she? Which way shall we go? What shall we do? She must not fall into their bands again? Ah! I think I hear her now! ‘To the rescue!’ The appeal was unfortunate after a certain fashion, The others listened, while the Saint dashed out through the open door. They did indeed hear what seemed to be the cry of a woman; but it was cut short by the crack of a revolver. Theappearance of Giant Jim had drawn a shot from the first of half a dozen men who were dashing up outside. The bullet sped true to its aim, and the Saint pitched heavily forward and down- ward in his tracks. , “ Forward, boys!” shouted Howe, himself springing to the front. ‘They are trying to jump the mine; down every man that you see, They are all paid for, ’ He had seen the open door, and knew the girl conld not have escaped unaided. His idea was to wipe out all evidence of his crime, if it had been successful; to finish it up in the grand hurrahif it had not been. He recognized the man who sprung out, and it was his hand halted him, He thou ht, also, he had heard the voice of the girl he had left caged there to die, but was unwill- ing to believe she had passed out from the cabin. Had he looked a little to the right he would have seen her in life and strength, blindly rushing away from the outstretched arms of one who pursued her, Her course was taking her straight back to the cabin; and even the sound of the shot did not serve to check her. What had happened seemed to her both strange and terrible. She had closed her eyes to the world, as she supposed for the last time. . When she opened them again she found herself in the arms of a stranger, who held her tightly, and was calling her by names which fright- ened her, and which she could not under- stand. As she recovered strength there came the thought that this was the prime mover of the plot to which she had been a victim, and in mad excitement she broke away. Had she chosen a route it would not, cer- tainly, have led her to the cabin; but fate or chance chose it for her, and once started she neither knew nor cared which way she was oing, so long as she kept up successful | fi ht. 5% she would have passed the door of the building she tripped over the body there, and fell with a sharp cry of fright. As she tried to regain her footing it seemed to her that men rose up all around her; she heard a crash of firearms, and then, some one was dragging her back into the cabin, and the door was closed with a crash, just in time to stop the rush of’ Morris Howe and his men, Inside the hut were two wounded. Char- ley Briggs had managed to crawl in though ‘ hard hit, and Billy Jingle had moved the giant, though it ona mountain. Dell Hammond and Billy Jingle kept close watch through a couple of loopholes they had found and opened. As for Stella, it was the hand of Hammond which had drawn her to present safety. ‘“‘T sling ca’tridges ’round so loose it’s al ers a p'int ter keep a good stock on hand,” said Billy, as he coolly began to recharge his pistol from a "handful of cartridges he had drawn from his pocket. ‘Hf yourn are a 44 cal., an’ yer hev ar 3 | oeccashun you better fill her up now. what I know an’ kin see I reckon the comin’ soon, an’ in this hyer light chaince ter lose more ner one shot.” | Hammond’s revolver. was all right, and he answered: ‘“‘T think they will hold off a bit an to see what is ahead of them, » ra . i eee ij them up to where he would have use for ~ seemed like a mouse at work ay 4 7 e ding “ “4 i ‘ " SOL 9 7 ~<A oreRs = ite - . in ee Oe ee me > ¢t ° Pm = a “ts ee ZS s + a * - 7 * 7 ~ ss - ~ =< ~ - o Sd 2g - “2 * . 7 «<4 4 ?* . £ t ~® =.= - >> al Oh - “A, * * ae > ae = << = pe ee ee ee 7 =. > os — ~ aa Ty vee 2 é j 4 L a ( |e eeee } “~.' ss : 2a ‘ Meer)